I have to admit that I am a lapsed weaver. Almost 40 years ago I bought my first loom and spent several years making rugs, scarves, shawls, anything that I could get on and off the loom quickly. And then life intervened, work and family meant little time for warping the loom. Just purchasing yarn meant a 70 mile road trip to the closest store that sells something that's not acrylic. And the demands of a job with lots of travel has meant not much down time for working with my hands. But the past several years, I have been looking at the loom (or should I say looms) in the attic with plans and designs in my head. Two years ago I finally brought the loom out of the attic and onto the loft. After putting the loom back together, I have been waiting for a little more free time and the right inspiration.
One of the big benefits of having been a weaver in my past life is the accumulation of tools. I have been amazed at the prices of simple tools that I bought 40 years ago when I was much poorer. A swedish bobbin winder today runs $130 and a rigid heddle loom like the one I am using runs close to $350. My main workhorse is a 45", 4 harness Newcomb Studio loom. My other big benefit is being married to a man who can build just about anything out of wood, including my loom bench, warping board, yarn storage shelves....
Since I have started weaving again, I decided I need to document what I am making, what works, what doesn't work. Last night I warped my rigid heddle with a project using perle cotton and chenille. Well the chenille fell apart in the holes of the 12 epi heddle. So the next time I start a chenille project on a rigid heddle loom, maybe I'll remember the time that it didn't work at 12 epi and go with the 8 epi reed instead. And just in case I have another 40 year lapse in weaving, I can find what I was up to the last time around. So my goal is to include yarns, size, sett, drafts and problems and possibilities.
The first project that got back on the bench was a set of chenille scarves designed to be given as Christmas presents. I ended up making 5 on 2 different warps for Christmas gifts. At 8 inches wide and sett at 8 epi, they could get on and off the loom quickly.
Date Finished - December 2012
Loom - Newcombe
Weave Structure - plain
Reed - 8 epi
Warp Fiber Rayon chenille
Count 1000 yd/#
Color variegated
Mfr Dragon's tale
Source Earthguild
Warp Width in Reed 8"
Ends 64 ends
Length 7 yds = 3 scarves
Weft Fiber - same
Count
Color
Mfr
Source
Beat 50/50
Size 7 1/2 by 60 inches
Notes
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